Rapid Fire 2011-03-29: XM25 Grenade Gun

• Want to buy an aircraft carrier? Have we got a deal for you. HMS Ark Royal is up for sale on the Internet.

• Israel Defense Forces deploy first Iron Dome rocket/artillery defense system along the Gaza border.

• Demand for new technologies is predicted to fuel growth in the global defense communications market, according to Frost & Sullivan.

• ATK receives $65.8 million engineering and manufacturing development contract for the US Army’s XM25 auto-ranging grenade gun.

• Lockheed Martin gets contract worth up to $57 million to provide training and technical support for US Coast Guard aviation instruction.

• Israel’s Elbit Systems snags $9.6 million USMC contract to provide the Joint Terminal Attack Controller Laser Target Designator [PDF].

Perrys for Pakistan: USS McInerney & the Alamgir Class

USS McInerney, 2004

On Feb 19/10, the US DSCA announced Pakistan’s official request to buy the Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigate USS McInerney [FFG 8], plus refurbishment and anti-submarine improvements. That deal is now a contract, and is reportedly the first step in an 8-ship purchase.

In 2009, USS McInerney trialed the naval MQ-8B Fire Scout helicopter UAV in counter-drug operations around the Caribbean, and became the first navy ship to use unmanned helicopters in a drug bust. It’s one member of a popular but declining ship class.